AuthorTopic: Fay Godwin - Land (Read 1338 times)

This is definitely worth a watch if you are into Landscape photography, although there are some VERY posh English voiced critics who are deeply analysing Fay's work at times and possibly even overanalysing it, yet if you stick with it, you will realise that they are actually talk some real sense about her work.

If you want to buy a book of her best landscape work, go HERE but be quick as the prices for her books seem to be only ever going upwards.

And what I also like about Fay, is the fact of how she managed to become a very successful landscape photography in the face of such personal adversity and during a period when landscape photography seemed to be the sole preserve of men.

Thanks for the link; I had never been much of a fan of hers, associating her too much with politics...

However, looking at the video (despite the dodgy quality), did make me like her more than I had imagined that I would. A further, superficial if surreal experience, was seeing the Italian subtitles: usually, the experience is the other way around: subtitles are (for us) in English. It became an increasingly odd sensation to be reading them when the actual sound was far more native!

I didn't find the voices strange at all; the only two characters to wind me up a bit were Melvyn Bragg and that male photo-historian; the unseen Bragg because of the association with tv and the other guy, simply because of a natural antipathy towards the curator/expert sect, the professional talking abouters rather than doers... The female historian/gallerista, on the other hand, I swallowed as totally genuine and interested in her work.

Fay herself was delightful in her criticism of the postcard ethic! If that had a flaw, it's that the things are a business, and you have to offer what sells, and if that's what does, accept that there is little merit in starvation.

Regarding her pictures: the square proved yet again to be so very powerful a way of focussing attention. The chances of the eye getting bored and wandering out of shot are much more limited, and the concentration so much more the stronger.

Surprisingly, whilst still grieving my own abandoned 'blads, I did realise that I would only want to use them for transparencies today unless the whole thing came bundled with a full-frame digital back for which I did not have to pay. Romantic (originally) as it may have been, the darkroom truly holds no further appeal for me. I have been totally seduced by the convenience and possibilities of Photoshop.

Thank you for a link that has changed my take on one English photographer!

It's one part of success that makes me uncomfortable; I can't get away from the emotional doubt that floods through me when I think of somebody else making the ultimate public face of another's work.

Though I can understand it well enough in a busy commercial situation where the photographer is better employed out making the money and, thus, can't personally be doing two different steps at the same time, that's hardly the case in the art world, is it?

Clearly it was at a time when she could no longer print. Cattrell discussed how she died a week after their conversation.

Partnerships can be rich and they clearly had a good relationship. HC Bresson didn't print his own work, there are many others who never did. If we are lucky enough to have our work extend beyond our lifetime or lifetimes of those who knew us, that will be a rarity.

Clearly it was at a time when she could no longer print. Cattrell discussed how she died a week after their conversation.

Partnerships can be rich and they clearly had a good relationship. HC Bresson didn't print his own work, there are many others who never did. If we are lucky enough to have our work extend beyond our lifetime or lifetimes of those who knew us, that will be a rarity.

Yes, I understand the situation re. Fay, but in the wider context, I think that where the snapper does not make the print, if there are going to be credits on display, then both snapper and printer should be featured; especially within the art photography context. Even in my own life as pro, there were very few instances where I, as photographer, saw a credit line outwith calendars that I designed myself, and on the opening page of whichever fashion mag. feature my shoots appeared.

The work of the printer is crucial, and even "looking over his shoulder" does not, in my view and experience, mean the same thing as doing it yourself.

Thanks for the link; I had never been much of a fan of hers, associating her too much with politics...

However, looking at the video (despite the dodgy quality), did make me like her more than I had imagined that I would. A further, superficial if surreal experience, was seeing the Italian subtitles: usually, the experience is the other way around: subtitles are (for us) in English. It became an increasingly odd sensation to be reading them when the actual sound was far more native!

I didn't find the voices strange at all; the only two characters to wind me up a bit were Melvyn Bragg and that male photo-historian; the unseen Bragg because of the association with tv and the other guy, simply because of a natural antipathy towards the curator/expert sect, the professional talking abouters rather than doers... The female historian/gallerista, on the other hand, I swallowed as totally genuine and interested in her work.

Fay herself was delightful in her criticism of the postcard ethic! If that had a flaw, it's that the things are a business, and you have to offer what sells, and if that's what does, accept that there is little merit in starvation.

Regarding her pictures: the square proved yet again to be so very powerful a way of focussing attention. The chances of the eye getting bored and wandering out of shot are much more limited, and the concentration so much more the stronger.

Surprisingly, whilst still grieving my own abandoned 'blads, I did realise that I would only want to use them for transparencies today unless the whole thing came bundled with a full-frame digital back for which I did not have to pay. Romantic (originally) as it may have been, the darkroom truly holds no further appeal for me. I have been totally seduced by the convenience and possibilities of Photoshop.

Thank you for a link that has changed my take on one English photographer!

On the link don't click on "Listen Now" and click directly on the "Download" button below. Alternatively you should be able to listen to it via the Apple podcast app (I just checked both methods). I'm in Madrid, by the way, so there should be no difference.

On the link don't click on "Listen Now" and click directly on the "Download" button below. Alternatively you should be able to listen to it via the Apple podcast app (I just checked both methods). I'm in Madrid, by the way, so there should be no difference.

Ha! Yes, that Download button did it! Thanks both for the link and advice: I don't think I've ever accessed videos etc. via that route before; when things said unavailable, I just went away.

Enjoyed the interview, and was somehow surprised that she, too, enjoyed Little Richard back in the day. For some reason I'd imagined she'd have different tastes. Actually, I never felt him to be a performer women would like very much - thought of his audience as being mostly male. Pat Boone, on the other hand...